Indonesia experiencing global phenomena of radicalism: VP Kalla

24th December 2016

Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla. (ANTARA/Yudhi Mahatma)

The idea of enemy is extensive. And because of that we also become enemies ourselves, haven`t we."

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesias vice president Jusuf Kalla said here on Friday that the country is experiencing the global phenomena of radicalism as shown by recent disclosures of bomb terror in several regions.

"This, radicalism, is a global phenomena. But once again may I remind people that when we talk about radicalism it must not be confined merely to bombs, where they happen and how many people die from them. No less important is why it happens," he said at the Merdeka State Palace.

In various activities, be they at home or abroad, he said, he often explained that terrorism emerged in countries that suffered economic and political failures.

"They failed because of raids from foreign countries. The failure in Afghanistan, for example, has created Al Qaeda. ISIS emerged in Syria and Iraq after they were bombed by foreign countries," he said.

In view of that, he said, it was countries from outside that have triggered anger among the younger generation in the failed countries towards countries in Europe and the US.

Kalla said radicalism has also been caused by teachings that have made people to be angry like "If you kill your enemy you will go to heaven".

"The idea of enemy is extensive. And because of that we also become enemies ourselves, havent we," he said referring to a bomb plot against personnel of the Presidential Security Guards at the Merdeka Palace uncovered by the police recently.

The wrong teachings, he said, could enter into the minds of those whose religious knowledge is shallow unless they are ignored.

"If you watch the interview of Nur Solihin (a member of the network of Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian citizen who joins ISIS in Syria) he also speaks about heaven. So this is where the danger lies," he said.

Police anti-terrorist special detachment (Densus) 88 arrested a terrorist suspect and killed three others during a rain at a house in Babakan village in the sub-district of Setu, South Tangerang, Banten province in West Java on Wednesday (Dec 21).

Densus 88 carried out the raid following investigations into the discovery of bombs at a house in Bintara Jaya, Bekasi, West Java, on Saturday (Dec 10).

In connection with the raid in Bekasi, Densus 88 arrested three suspects who planned to carry out the bombing.